Master and Servant
by Sapadu
Summary: But... the servant betrayed his master... and the master was left, devastated, in his wake.  Mild RishidMalik if you squint.


Master and Servant

By Sapadu

A/N: If you can guess what manga Rishid has been reading, you get points. I make it pretty obvious what Malik got into.

After being relieved of his duty as a Tombkeeper, the first think Malik-sama had proceeded to do was indulge in the pleasures of an outside world. Specifically, their entertainment. The house was filled with books that Malik-sama had taken an interest in, but hardly a week went past before he finished with all of the books- they were either boring textbooks, or too long for Malik-sama to sit patiently and read, or so gripping that he finished them within half an hour.

Rishid finally managed to hook Malik-sama on something called a Manga. Almost immediately, Malik-sama was drawn to the series filled with action, fighting, and ninjas. One particular series, Malik-sama had taken such a strong liking to and had been so drawn into a specific character, he read the volume over and over again and never got tired of it, claiming that he was exactly the same as Gaara, whoever that was.

Rishid had gotten some for himself, too. Just one story, one series, but he found more meaning in it than any other story. A young man and his servant- a butler, to be precise- and the relationship they had... Rishid could not help but see the comparisons to his own life.

He, Rishid, had been raised and lived with the Ishtars since birth. The butler in the story had been taken in by the wealthy family after his entire family perished in a fire.

He, Rishid, had been entrusted with the well-being and taking care of his younger siblings. The butler in the story was put in charge of the young master who later became his master.

He, Rishid, was a servant of the Ishtar family. The butler in the story was a servant of the nobility.

He, Rishid, might have been nothing more than a dog to the family, but his adoptive sister, Ishizu-sama, took him to heart as though he was her own flesh and blood and Malik-sama adored and depended on him like a small child with it's mother. The butler in the story might have been just a butler to the family, but to the master he served, he was something far more special, important, and dear.

There were other similarities- ones far more disturbing- that Rishid couldn't ignore, and not about himself.

The master in the story had been reviled, despised, and hated by his own parents. Malik-sama had been loathed, entirely, by his own father, and his mother had never lived to give him her love.

The master in the story had been isolated and kept locked up in the family's castle, separated from virtually all other people, and ignored by the maids and help in the house. Malik-sama had been kept underground for his entire childhood and mostly ignored or avoided by the other Tomb Keepers who lived down there with them.

The master in the story had killed his own father, just as the man had tried to kill his own son and the butler. Malik-sama had destroyed his father's very soul and banished it to the darkest depths of Hell, moments not too late to save his own and Rishid's life.

The master in the story had scars all over his back, put there by a whip his father had beaten him with. Malik-sama bore the scars of the Tomb Keepers ritual, sadistically carved into his back by the previous bearer of the marks.

The master in the story was closer to his butler than he was to even his own sister, needed him, clung to him, valued his servant more than he valued his own life. Malik-sama, when he'd been a child, had followed Rishid around like a lost chick, and as he grew to a teenager, relied and trusted Rishid with responsibilities and secrets none of the Ghouls were given.

But, towards the end, the servant betrayed his master, even though the master had trusted and cared for him, even though he had served and protected his master, even though they had been closer than brothers, and the master had been left, devastated, in his wake.

Rishid wondered if there would come a day where he would do the same, either be forced to betray Malik-sama or do it freely of his own will. What would that betrayal do? Would Malik-sama even be able to withstand it? Would he cry? Would he kill himself? Would he give up, entirely? Or would he fight back? Would he try and get his precious servant back? Would he still be able to stand on his own?

Then, there were other questions. Specifics. If Malik-sama ever grew into the Japanese habit of tea, would he demand that only Rishid make it? Did he want Rishid to help him dress, even if he was perfectly capable of doing it on his own? Would there come a day that Malik-sama asked Rishid to tie his shoelaces for him?

"Rishid, have you seen volume eight of my manga?" Malik-sama came pawing into the room and Rishid had the missing volume in hand.

"It got mixed in with mine- perhaps you should organize these so they don't get lost." Rishid said and Malik-sama almost laughed in his face.

"If I organized them, I'd never take them off the shelf to read. And if I did, they wouldn't be organized anymore." Malik-sama protested and almost immediately left the room, except Rishid held him back.

"Malik-sama..." He began, quietly, "...Are your scars bothering you, today?" During Battle City, Malik-sama's scars had burned every day, as though the spirit of his father was punishing him for not fulfilling his duty from beyond. Malik-sama flinched a little, but cautiously replied.

"A little- not as bad as before, but..." Rishid didn't let him finish.

"I'll help you with them." And not more than a few minutes later, Rishid was massaging a pain reliever into Malik-sama's back, before he asked the question that had been bothering him.

"Malik-sama, have you ever let someone else touch your scars?" Malik-sama snorted, almost disdainfully.

"I didn't even let the Pharaoh get his hands anywhere near me- and he's the reason I have these damn scars. If I'm not letting the Pharaoh touch these scars, then I'd say you're the only one who ever has and ever will touch my back." Malik-sama replied, almost lazily, but there was a tone of command in it that dared to be argued with and promised dire consequences for anyone who did.

Rishid's hands paused, then continued in their work. He didn't know if he wanted to be pleased or simply more worried at this revelation and in the end, said nothing.

"That reminds me- that manga series you really like..." Malik-sama brought up, even as Rishid continued with the massage.

"Yes, Malik-sama?" There was a rustle of a paper back book being shaken and Rishid looked up to see the eighth and final volume in the series.

"I saw it at the bookstore and got it for you." Malik-sama explained. Rishid's hands didn't detach from the scarred skin of Malik-sama's back.

"That was very considerate of you, Malik-sama." He simply said.

He wondered... what would the ending be? For Malik-sama and himself, as well as the master and servant in the story?

A/N: Reviews are appreciated. Just be polite and don't speak in Swahili.


End file.
